Apollo 11 Flight Log, July 20, 1969: The Moon Landing Apollo 11 Flight Log, July 20, 1969: The Moon Landing By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | July 20, 2014 07:25am ET MORE Lunar landing operations for the Apollo 11 crew officially began around 9:27 a.m. July 20, when lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin crawled through a tunnel separating the command module Columbia from the lunar module, Eagle, to power on the lander. Four hours later, Buzz Aldrin and his commander, Neil Armstrong , stood in Eagle while it separated from Columbia. At the controls of Columbia, command module pilot Michael Collins turned on the ship's engines and moved it away. He watched as Armstrong and Aldrin fired Eagle's engines for the lunar descent. "Everything's going just swimmingly. Beautiful!" Collins said over radio to Mission Control. Apollo 11 Moon Landing 45th Anniversary: Complete Coverage But not everything went to plan after that. Eagle's computer experienced several task overloads that tripped program alarms in the spacecraft.

Just after 4 p.m., Armstrong looked outside the window and saw the automatic landing system was taking Eagle to a rocky field. He took control of the spacecraft, steering it down to the surface with just seconds of fuel to spare. Apollo 11 was on the moon. "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed ," he radioed Mission Control at 4:18 p.m. The main event, the moonwalk, began at 10:39 p.m. when Armstrong opened the hatch of Eagle and backed outside, watched by Aldrin. He carefully moved down the ladder, turning on the TV camera on the way. His first step took place at 10:56 p.m. "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind ," he radioed Earth. NASA's Historic Apollo 11 Moon Landing in Pictures Armstrong quickly moved to take samples from nearby Eagle, and Aldrin followed him on to the surface. The moonwalk lasted 2.5 hours, in which time the men picked up several rock samples, deployed science experiments, erected a flag and took a phone call from U.S. President Richard Nixon.

Eagle's hatch was closed, astronauts inside, at 1:11 a.m. the next morning. It has been more than four decades since the first men landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Test your memory of the moon landing with this quiz. NASA - Apollo Moon Landing -- 35th Anniversary Apollo Moon Landing -- 35th Anniversary 07.15.04 Thirty-five years ago astronaut Neil Armstrong did something no one had ever done before. On July 20, 1969, he set foot on the moon. People around the world watched and listened as Neil slowly climbed down the ladder of the lunar lander. Then, he stepped on the moon's surface where he could look up and see Earth far above him. There he said these well-known words, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." Image above: This patch was created in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. Credit: NASA In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy had a challenge for NASA.

The challenge was to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade (before 1970). The race to meet his goal would require the greatest technological achievement the world has ever seen. The first Apollo missions were spent getting ready for the moon landing. Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 even flew all the way to the moon, around it, and back to Earth. Finally, everything was ready. On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They traveled to the moon and arrived in lunar orbit on July 19. Image above: Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. Credit: NASA Neil Armstrong was the first astronaut to step on the moon. He was soon joined by Buzz Aldrin. The two astronauts spent 21 hours on the moon. They did experiments and took pictures. They also brought back 46 pounds of moon rocks. After their stay on the moon, they blasted off in the top part of the lunar lander. They docked with "Columbia," the Command Module. Columbia was piloted by astronaut Michael Collins who stayed in orbit around the moon waiting for Neil and Buzz.

Finally, all three astronauts rode back to the Earth in Columbia. They splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. Image to left: While on the moon Neil and Buzz planted a United States flag and left a sign that read, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." Credit: NASA Apollo 11 Moon Landing 45 Years Ago on July 20, 1969: Relive the Moment! - With an Image Gallery and Watch the Restored EVA Here - Universe Today Apollo 11 Moon Landing 45 Years Ago on July 20, 1969: Relive the Moment! – With an Image Gallery and Watch the Restored EVA Here Article Updated: 23 Dec , 2015 by Ken Kremer The Eagle Prepares to Land The Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, in a landing configuration was photographed in lunar orbit from the Command and Service Module Columbia. Inside the module were Commander Neil A. Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin.

The long rod-like protrusions under the landing pods are lunar surface sensing probes. Upon contact with the lunar surface, the probes sent a signal to the crew to shut down the descent engine. Image Credit: NASA Watch the restored EVA video below and on NASA TV on July 20 starting at 10:39 p.m. EDT[/caption] Man first walked on the Moon 45 years ago today on July 20, 1969 when American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin opened the hatch to the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, climbed down the ladder and set foot on the surface – marking mankind’s greatest achievement. They came in peace for all mankind! You can relive the historic moment with the gallery of Apollo 11 NASA images collected here and by watching NASA’s restored video of the moonwalk, or extravehicular activity (EVA) by Armstrong and Aldrin – watch video below. The Apollo 11 EVA began at 10:39:33 p.m. EDT. NASA TV is also broadcasting a replay of the historic moonwalk tonight (July 20) to commemorate the anniversary starting at 10:39 p.m.

EDT, with the restored footage of Armstrong and Aldrin’s historic steps on the lunar surface. You can view the NASA TV Apollo 11 EVA webcast – here . The Eagle had landed on the Moon’s desolate surface on the Sea of Tranquility (see map below) barely 6 hours earlier at 4:18 p.m EDT. And only 30 seconds of fuel remained as Armstrong searched for a safe landing spot. Neil Armstrong was the commander of the three man crew of Apollo 11, which included fellow moonwalker Buzz Aldrin and Command module pilot Michael Collins. Here is NASA’s restored video of the Apollo 11 EVA on July 20, 1969: Video Caption: Original Mission Video as aired in July 1969 depicting the Apollo 11 astronauts conducting several tasks during extravehicular activity (EVA) operations on the surface of the moon. The EVA lasted approximately 2.5 hours with all scientific activities being completed satisfactorily. The Apollo 11 EVA began at 10:39:33 p.m.

EDT on July 20, 1969 when Astronaut Neil Armstrong emerged from the spacecraft first. While descending, he released the Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly on the Lunar Module’s descent stage. The trio blasted off atop a 363 foot-tall Saturn V rocket from Launch Complex 39A on their bold, quarter of a million mile moon mission from the Kennedy Space Center , Florida on July 16, 1969 to fulfill the lunar landing quest set by President John F. Kennedy early in the decade. The three-stage Saturn V generated 7.5 million pounds of thrust and propelled the trio into space and immortality. Apollo 11 Official Crew Portrait. Official crew photo of the Apollo 11 Prime Crew. From left to right are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Commander; Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module Pilot. Image Credit: NASA The Apollo 11 mission was truly a global event.

Armstrong and Aldrin safely touched down at the Sea of Tranquility on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969 at 4:18 p.m EDT as hundreds of millions across the globe watched in awe and united in purpose. “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed !,” Armstrong called out and emotional applause erupted at Mission Control – “You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue.” Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stands on the moon’s surface on July 20, 1969, the first human to do so. Credit: NASA/CBS/YouTube (screenshot) Armstrong carried all of humanity with him when he stepped off the footpad of NASA’s Apollo 11 Lunar Module and became the first representative of the human species to walk on the surface of another celestial body. Armstrong’s first immortal words: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” During their 2 ½ hours moonwalk Armstrong and Aldrin unveiled a plaque on the side of the lunar module. Armstrong read the words; “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D.

We came in peace for all mankind.” On the Lunar Surface – Apollo 11 astronauts trained on Earth to take individual photographs in succession in order to create a series of frames that could be assembled into panoramic images. This frame from fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s panorama of the Apollo 11 landing site is the only good picture of mission commander Neil Armstrong on the lunar surface. Credit: NASA The duo collected about 50 pounds (22 kg) of priceless moon rocks and set out the first science experiments placed by humans on another world. The moon rocks were invaluable in informing us about the origin of the Earth – Moon system. Aldrin on the Moon. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the lunar module Eagle during the Apollo 11 mission. Mission commander Neil Armstrong took this photograph with a 70mm lunar surface camera. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin explored the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Michael Collins remained with the command and service modules in lunar orbit. Image Credit: NASA Altogether Armstrong and Aldrin spent about 21 hours on the moon’s surface.

Then they said goodbye to the greatest adventure and fired up the LM ascent engine to rejoin Michael Collins circling above in the Apollo 11 Command Module. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin plant the US flag on the Lunar Surface during 1st human moonwalk in history 45 years ago on July 20, 1969 during Apollo 1l mission. Credit: NASA Following the triumphant moonwalk and docking, the crew set their sights for the journey back to the Home Planet. Apollo 11 logo The Apollo 11 mission ended with a successful splash down off Hawaii on July 24. The crew, NASA and America achieved President Kennedy’s challenge of men walking on the Moon before the decade was out and returning safely to Earth. Armstrong passed away at age 82 on August 25, 2012 due to complications from heart bypass surgery. Read my prior tribute articles: here and here Surviving crew members Aldrin and Collins will join NASA Administrator Charles Bolden at a ceremony on Monday at the Kennedy Space Center. Bootprint.

A close-up view of astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s bootprint in the lunar soil, photographed with the 70mm lunar surface camera during Apollo 11’s sojourn on the moon. Image Credit: NASA Altogether a dozen Americans have walked on the Moon during NASA’s five additional Apollo lunar landing missions. No human has returned since the final crew of Apollo 17 departed the Moon’s surface in December 1972. One legacy of Apollo is the International Space Station (ISS) where six astronauts and cosmonauts work together on science research to benefit mankind. Notably, the Cygnus commercial cargo ship berthed at the ISS on the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 liftoff bringing over 3600 pounds of science experiments and supplies to the station. NASA’s next big human spaceflight goals are building commercial ‘space taxis’ to low Earth orbit in this decade, an asteroid retrieval mission in the 2020s and voyages to Mars in the 2030s using the new SLS rocket and Orion deep space crew capsule currently under development. Stay tuned here for Ken’s Earth & Planetary science and human spaceflight news. By Ken Kremer - Dr.

Ken Kremer is a speaker, research scientist, freelance science journalist (Princeton, NJ) and photographer whose articles, space exploration images and Mars mosaics have appeared in magazines, books, websites and calendars including Astronomy Picture of the Day, NBC, FOX, BBC, SPACE.com, Spaceflight Now, Science and the covers of Aviation Week & Space Technology, Spaceflight and the Explorers Club magazines. Ken has presented at numerous educational institutions, civic & religious organizations, museums and astronomy clubs. Ken has reported first hand from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, NASA Wallops, NASA Michoud/Stennis/Langley and on over 70 launches including 8 shuttle launches. He lectures on both Human and Robotic spaceflight - Follow Ken on Facebook and Twitter Landing on the Moon :July 20, 1969 - YouTube Landing on the Moon :July 20, 1969 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Oct 6, 2007 Go For Landing on the Moon LunarLanding July 20, 1969 4:18 p.m. EDT Sea of Tranquillity Moon landing was 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind' - Houston Chronicle Moon landing was 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind' Kennedy's vision led U.S. to the moon, with Houston fully embracing its role By James Haynes Updated 10:59 am, Wednesday, September 7, 2016 Photo: Jim Coker, HC Staff Image 1of/24 Close Image 1 of 24 08/16/1969 - Main Street Houston - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins after their historic moon landing in July.

Jim Coker / Houston Chronicle less 08/16/1969 - Main Street Houston - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and ... more Photo: Jim Coker, HC Staff Image 2 of 24 Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 21, 1969 (FINAL EDITION, first Moon landing) -- Armstrong and Aldrin 'Take One Small Step for Man' on the Moon. Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 21, 1969 (FINAL EDITION, first Moon landing) -- Armstrong and Aldrin 'Take One Small Step for Man' on the Moon. Photo: Houston Chronicle 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.

Photo: Jerry Click, HP Staff Image 4 of 24 08/16/1969 -- METROPOLITAN THEATER MARQUEE CONGRATULATES ASTRONAUTS - Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wife by marquee telling moonmen they have "True Grit" during ticker tape parade in downtown Houston 08/16/1969 -- METROPOLITAN THEATER MARQUEE CONGRATULATES ASTRONAUTS - Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wife by marquee telling moonmen they have "True Grit" during ticker tape parade in downtown Houston Photo: Fred Bunch, HP Staff Image 5 of 24 08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. 08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.

Photo: HP Staff Image 6 of 24 ﻿Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts ﻿at a ticker-tape parade downtown ﻿in August 1969, the month after the moon landing. ﻿Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts ﻿at a ticker-tape parade downtown ﻿in August 1969, the month after the moon landing. Photo: HP Staff Image 7 of 24 FILE - In this July 20, 1969 file photo from NASA, Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed walking near the lunar module during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity. (AP Photo, NASA ,file) less FILE - In this July 20, 1969 file photo from NASA, Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed walking near the lunar module during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity. (AP Photo, NASA ... more Photo: NEIL ARMSTRONG, HO Image 8 of 24 Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E.

"Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. Photo was made by a 16mm movie camera inside the lunar module, shooting at one frame per second. (Nasa via AP) less Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. Photo was made by a 16mm movie camera inside the ... more Photo: Anonymous, HOGP Image 9 of 24 08/10/1969 -- Astronaut Edwin Aldrin Jr. (Buzz Aldrin) smiles as he is released from the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center. Aldrin, along with the other Apollo 11 astronauts, were quarantined in the LRL following their return from the moon. Fred Bunch / Houston Post HPOST CAPTION (08/11/1969): Col. Edwin E.

Aldrin, all smiles, all through less 08/10/1969 -- Astronaut Edwin Aldrin Jr. (Buzz Aldrin) smiles as he is released from the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center. Aldrin, along with the other Apollo 11 astronauts, ... more Photo: Fred Bunch, HP Staff Image 10 of 24 Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 16, 1969 (FINAL 2-STAR EDITION) -- Apollo 11 Aiming at Moon Orbit; Mission Is Man's Oldest Dream Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 16, 1969 (FINAL 2-STAR EDITION) -- Apollo 11 Aiming at Moon Orbit; Mission Is Man's Oldest Dream Photo: Houston Chronicle microfilm Image 11 of 24 **ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20** FILE - In this July 1969 file photo, Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module.

(AP/Photo, NASA, file) **ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20** FILE - In this July 1969 file photo, Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. (AP/Photo, NASA, file) Photo: NASA Image 12 of 24 08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. 08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. Photo: HP Staff Image 13 of 24 Tribute and celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts and MSC space program folks at the Astrodome, August 16, 1969. Tribute and celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts and MSC space program folks at the Astrodome, August 16, 1969. Photo: HP Staff FILE--Apollo 11 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in this file photo..

(AP Photo/HO) LAUNCH. FILE--Apollo 11 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in this file photo.. (AP Photo/HO) LAUNCH. Photo: HO Image 15 of 24 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969. Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the photograph. less Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969. Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the ... more Photo: NASA Image 16 of 24 06/1969 - The Saturn V rocket with the Apollo 11 spacecraft atop sits on Launch Pad 39A, part of the Launch Complex 39 site at the Kennedy Space Center. The Apollo 11 mission, which includes the first lunar landing of man on the moon, is planned for July launch.

less 06/1969 - The Saturn V rocket with the Apollo 11 spacecraft atop sits on Launch Pad 39A, part of the Launch Complex 39 site at the Kennedy Space Center. The Apollo 11 mission, which includes the first lunar ... more Photo: David Nance, HC Staff Image 17 of 24 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin waves to parade-goers at Apollo 11 ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin waves to parade-goers at Apollo 11 ticker tape parade in downtown Houston. Photo: Darrell Davidson, HC Staff Image 18 of 24 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston celebrating the moon landing.. 08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston celebrating the moon landing..

Photo: Jerry Click, HP Staff Image 19 of 24 Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on July 20, 1969. ﻿ Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on July 20, 1969. ﻿ Photo: NASA Image 20 of 24 **ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20** FILE - In this July 21, 1969 file photo provided by NASA, mission control personnel watch the moon walk by Apollo 11 astronauts, in Houston. (AP Photo/NASA, file) **ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20** FILE - In this July 21, 1969 file photo provided by NASA, mission control personnel watch the moon walk by Apollo 11 astronauts, in Houston.

(AP Photo/NASA, file) Photo: Anonymous, HO Image 21 of 24 08/16/1969 - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands to downtown Houston, August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins after their historic moon landing in July. less 08/16/1969 - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands to downtown Houston, August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and ... more Photo: Larry Evans, HC Staff Image 22 of 24 Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo II lunar surface extravehicular activity, July 20, 1969. Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this photograph with a 70 mm lunar surface camera.

During flight the EASEP is stowed in the Lunar Module scientific bay at the left rear quadrant of the descent stage looking forward. Aldrin is removing the EASEP from its stowed position. (AP Photo/HO) less Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo II lunar surface extravehicular activity, July 20, 1969. ... more Photo: NEIL A. ARMSTRONG, HO Image 23 of 24 FILE--President Nixon views the Apollo 11 astronauts in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery, in this July 24, 1969 file photo. July 20, 1999 marks the 30th anniversary of the landing on the moon by the Apollo II crew. The Astronauts, left to right, are: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin A. Aldrin.

(AP photo) HOUCHRON CAPTION (12/06/2000): President Nixon greets the Appollo 11 astronauts - from left, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin - in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after their return from the moon landing mission. Nixon was prepared for a tragic outcome. less FILE--President Nixon views the Apollo 11 astronauts in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery, in this July 24, 1969 file photo. July 20, 1999 marks the 30th anniversary of the ...

more Photo: AP Apollo 11 - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Google Apollo Program: Background The American effort to send astronauts to the moon had its origins in an appeal President John Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal.In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Did You Know? President Richard Nixon spoke with Armstrong and Aldrin via a telephone radio transmissionshortly after they planted the American flag on the lunar surface. Nixon considered it the "most historic phone call ever made from the White House." Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination.

Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida , when a fire broke out during a manned launch-pad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire. Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968 Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing. In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. That May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission. Apollo 11 Mission: July 16-July 24, 1969 At 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (1930-) aboard.

Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:17 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas , a now-famous message: “The Eagle has landed.” At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the module’s ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation.

At 10:56 p.m., as Armstrong stepped off the ladder and planted his foot on the moon’s powdery surface, he spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Aldrin joined him on the moon’s surface 19 minutes later, and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests and spoke with President Richard Nixon (1913-94) via Houston. By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed. The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module.

Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon–July 1969 A.D–We came in peace for all mankind.” At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:50 p.m. on July 24. Apollo Program: Final Missions There would be five more successful lunar landing missions, and one unplanned lunar swing-by, Apollo 13 (whose lunar landing was aborted due to technical difficulties). The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan (1934-) and Harrison Schmitt (1935-) of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972.

The Apollo program was a costly and labor intensive endeavor, involving an estimated 400,000 engineers, technicians and scientists, and costing $24 billion (close to $100 billion in today’s dollars). The expense was justified by Kennedy’s 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability. Tags Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 - NY Daily News Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 Apollo 11 lands the first man on the moon in 1969 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS U.S. Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, July 19, 2015, 12:00 PM (Originally published by the Daily News on July 21, 1969.

This story was written by Mark Bloom.) HOUSTON, July 20 - Two men landed on the moon today and for more than two hours walked its forbidding surface in mankind’s first exploration of an alien world. In the most incredible adventure in human history, these men coolly established earth’s first outpost in the universe, sending back an amazing panorama of views to millions of awed TV viewers. With his camera recording the fantastic, totally unreal scene for his home planet, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong climbed down a nine-rung ladder from the cabin of the landing craft called Eagle, and became the first man to step on the moon. It was 10:56 p.m., New York time. Excerpts of talks between Apollo 11 crew and mission control “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” Armstrong exclaimed. Nineteen minutes later, Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin Jr. joined Armstrong on the surface, and cried: “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, a magnificent desolation.” In the two hours and 16 minutes between the time Armstrong stepped on the surface and the pair were back inside Eagle’s cabin, research was begun.

It may unlock many secrets of the universe and provide clues to how it all started. The astronauts collected more than 50 pounds of lunar rocks and soil, the most valuable payload science has ever known. Many scientists on earth believe that when these rocks are studied on earth they will show a record of the solar system as it was when it was formed - untarnished by wind and weather in the airless wastes of the moon. The astronauts left two self contained, automated scientific experiments on the moon. One will answer the age-old question of whether the moon is internally active, like the earth, or cold and inert like a meteorite. The two men planted the American flag on the moon - not as a sign of acquisition of territory but as a sign of the nation which was willing to spend the energy and money to carry out this adventure. And they got a warm telephone call of congratulations from President Nixon, 240,000 miles away on earth. He said their feat “inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to earth.” They succeeded in landing on the moon on man’s first attempt, fulfilling the nation’s goal of a manned lunar landing by the end of the decade.

But they still must return to earth, and the tension was already building up for tomorrow’s critical moment at 1:50 p.m. - the instant when Eagle’s ascent engine must fire, or Armstrong and Aldrin will be marooned on the moon. If all goes well, Apollo 11 will splash down in the Pacific 1,200 miles southwest of Hawaii next Thursday afternoon. Moment of Ages The astronauts’ feats combined into the moment of the ages, the light paint of man’s eternal search for new worlds. It was the climax of centuries of dreams, centuries of science, centuries of faith, climaxing man’s slow and painful steps toward unlocking the secrets of his universe. It was also the climax of an American dream, a challenge to the nation to be first in the realm of space, to be first to land a man on the moon. (New York Daily News) Finds Powdered Surface After Armstrong cautiously descended from the lunar vehicle, he said: “The surface is fine and powdered, like powdered charcoal to the soles of my boots… I can see my footprints of my boot in the fine particles.” Armstrong began his momentous walk more than six hours after the lunar module swept to another celestial body.

Takes Over Controls In the final 300 feet, Armstrong took over the manual controls when he saw that the computer-run automatic pilot was sending the small, spider-like craft toward a boulder-strewn area. As a result, when Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility at 4:17:45 p.m., New York time, Armstrong had only 45 seconds of hover time left. But he signaled the arrival in a typically matter-of-fact message to Houston. “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” It was 10:51 p.m. when Armstrong climbed from Eagle’s cabin onto the “porch” of the vehicle - the landing atop the nine-rung ladder leading to the surface. “How’m I doing?” asked Armstrong. “You’re doing fine,” said Aldrin. At 11:15 p.m., after Armstrong had described the powdery soil on the surface and collected a two pound sample of rocks in case the walk had to be cut short, he was joined on the surface by Aldrin. Both descents and the astronauts’ activities outside the vehicle were beamed to the earth on live TV. As he started down the ladder.

Aldrin commented: “I’m making sure not to lock it (the hatch) on the way out.” A Good Thought “That’s a good thought,” said Armstrong. As he reached the surface, Aldrin commented: “It sure is powdery.” NASA photo shows the lunar module, with Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, as it approaches the Apollo 11 command module for a rendezvous with the Earth in the background. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) American astronaut Neil Armstrong put a foot on the moon July 21, 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) NASA image shows Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong's right foot leaving a footprint in the lunar soil as he and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the surface of the moon. (NASA/AFP/Getty Images) Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface. (AP) “Isn’t this fun?” asked Armstrong. “The rocks are rather slippery,” said Aldrin.

“There seems to be no difficulty in moving around,” said Armstrong. “I suspect it is even easier than simulations… on the ground. Simply no trouble to walk around.” Checks for Damage Armstrong, taking huge, graceful strides, inspected the footpads and legs of the lunar module to make sure there was no damage. Aldrin said: “You have to be careful in leaning in directions you want to go… You have to cross your foot over to stay underneath where your center of mass is.” He continued: “Say, Neil, didn’t I say you would see some purple rocks?” “You found some,” asked Armstrong. “Yes,” said Aldrin. While taking the first two-pound rock sample, Armstrong said he ran into a very hard surface directly underneath the powdery top soil. “But it seems to be a very cohesive material of the same sort.” He described the soil as having “a certain beauty all its own - like (the) desert of the U.S. It’s different but very pretty.” At 11:26 p.m., about half an hour after Armstrong reached the surface, he unveiled a plaque commemorating the feat. Signatures on Plaque The plaque bore the signatures of the three astronauts and President Nixon.

The astronauts’ walk on the moon, highlighted when they raised the American flag, all but eclipsed their earlier feat of landing on the lunar surface. The epic moment came after Armstrong and Aldrin flew Eagle away from Columbia, the Apollo 11 command craft piloted by Mike Collins, and started downward. “Eagle has wings,” said Armstrong. Armstrong said Eagle steered its way past a football field-sized crater bristling with big boulders and rocks which would have been hazardous. Apollo 11 commander Neil A. Armstrong inside the Lunar Module while on the lunar surface. (AP) Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifting off with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. (HO/AFP/Getty Images) Apollo 11 blastoff to the moon from Cape Kennedy, Florida. (NASA/AP) Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot, descends the steps of the Lunar Module (LM) ladder as he prepares to walk on the Moon. (HO/AFP/Getty Images) Astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission; American flag, lunar lander & various instruments visible behind him.

(Time Life Pictures/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image) Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity. (NEIL A. ARMSTRONG/AP) Earth control said the touchdown point, though about four miles east of the planned point, was well within the safety guidelines set forth in the mission rules. The pilot said he had to take over from the auto-targeting computer in the last 150 feet “and fly manually over the rock field to find a reasonably good area.” “It looks like there’s a collection of just about every variety of shape, angularity, and every variety of rock you could find,” said Aldrin.

“The color is dark and it varies pretty much depending on how you’re looking at it.” Aldrin continued: “There doesn’t seem to be much of a general color at all, and it looks as though some of the rocks and boulders, of which there are quite a few in the near area, look as though they’re going to have some interesting colors to them.” Everything control reported that everything was “go” for Eagle in every respect, and the astronauts were given permission to stay at least 10 hours. Climax of an American Dream It was the moment of the ages in the long history of man’s exploration, his eternal search to explore new worlds. It was the climax of centuries of dreams, centuries of science, centuries of faith, and of man’s slow and painful steps toward unlocking the secrets of his universe. It was the climax of an American dream, a challenge to the nation to be first in the realm of space, to be first to land a man on the moon, and to do it before the end of this decade. It was done with almost six months to spare.

Man’s final push to the moon began with President Kennedy’s speech to Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.” The steps to the moon today began at 12:53 p.m. when the astronauts received the word from earth control: “Apollo 11 you are go for undocking.” “Roger, understand,” replied Armstrong, not a trace of nervousness in his voice. “Both vehicles look very good,” said earth control. At that point, Apollo 11 swept around behind the moon for the 12th time since the astronauts flew into lunar orbit yesterday, and began preparing to head down the surface. Cable to Borman Apollo 11 was in a near circular orbit about 70 miles above the pock-marked, barren stretches of the moon. As all this was happening, Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman received another cable from Mystslav V.

Keldysh, president of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, reporting that Luna 15, the unmanned spacecraft keeping Apollo 11 company, had changed its orbit around the moon again. When Apollo 11 emerged from the eastern rim of the moon and was back in radio contact with the earth, Armstrong reported: “Eagle’s undocked and looking good.” Eagle and Columbia separated at 1:47 p.m., not to rejoin for more than 24 hours. Tags: NASA Apollo 11 30th Anniversary On July 20, 1969, the human race accomplished its single greatest technological achievement of all time when a human first set foot on another celestial body. Six hours after landing at 4:17 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (with less than 30 seconds of fuel remaining), Neil A. Armstrong took the �Small Step� into our greater future when he stepped off the Lunar Module, named �Eagle,� onto the surface of the Moon, from which he could look up and see Earth in the heavens as no one had done before him.

He was shortly joined by �Buzz� Aldrin, and the two astronauts spent 21 hours on the lunar surface and returned 46 pounds of lunar rocks. After their historic walks on the Moon, they successfully docked with the Command Module �Columbia,� in which Michael Collins was patiently orbiting the cold but no longer lifeless Moon. Apollo 11: First Men on the Moon Apollo 11: First Men on the Moon By Nola Taylor Redd, Space.com Contributor | July 25, 2012 03:39pm ET MORE Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin photographed this iconic photo, a view of his footprint in the lunar soil, as part of an experiment to study the nature of lunar dust and the effects of pressure on the surface during the historic first manned moon landing in July 1969. Credit: NASA The historic launch of the Apollo 11 mission carried three astronauts toward the moon. Two of them would set foot on the lunar surface for the first time in human history as millions of people around the world followed their steps on television. The astronauts The crew of Apollo 11 were all experienced astronauts. All three had flown missions into space before. Cmdr.

Neil Armstrong , 38, had previously piloted Gemini 8, the first time two vehicles docked in space. Born Aug. 5, 1930, in Ohio, Armstrong was 38 when he became the first civilian to command two American space missions. Apollo 11 crew: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. Credit: NASA Col. Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin , 39, was the first astronaut with a doctorate to fly in space. Born Jan. 20, 1930, in New Jersey, Aldrin piloted Gemini 12, taking a two-hour, twenty-minute walk in space to demonstrate that an astronaut could work efficiently outside of the vehicle. For Apollo 11, he served as the lunar module pilot. The command module pilot, Lt. Col. Michael Collins, 38, was born in Italy on Oct. 31, 1930. The pilot of Gemini 10, Collins spent almost an hour and a half outside of the craft on a space-walk and became the first person to meet another spacecraft in orbit.

From Earth to the moon Mission planners at NASA studied the lunar surface for two years, searching for the best place to make the historic landing. Using high-resolution photographs taken by the Lunar Orbiter satellite and close-up photographs taken by the Surveyor spacecraft, they narrowed the initial thirty sites down to three. Influencing factors included the number of craters and boulders, few high cliffs or hills, and a relatively flat surface. The amount of sunlight was also a factor in determining the best time to land on the lunar surface. Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, 1969. While in flight, the crew made two televised broadcasts from the interior of the ship, and a third transmission as they drew closer to the moon, revealing the lunar surface and the intended approach path. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin entered the lunar module, nicknamed the "Eagle" and separated from the Command Service Module — the "Columbia" — headed toward the lunar surface. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses with the American flag on the surface of the moon in July 1969.

Credit: NASA The lunar module touched down on the moon's Sea of Tranquility , a large basaltic region, at 4:17 p.m. EDT. Armstrong notified Houston with the historic words, "Houston, this is Tranquility Base. The Eagle has landed." For the first two hours, Armstrong and Aldrin checked all of the systems, configured the lunar module for the stay on the moon, and ate. They decided to skip the scheduled four-hour rest to explore the surface. A camera in the Eagle provided live coverage as Armstrong descended down a ladder at 11:56 p.m. on July 20, 1969, and uttered the words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Aldrin followed twenty minutes later, with Armstrong recording his descent. Armstrong had the responsibility to document the landing, so most of the images taken from the Apollo 11 mission were of Aldrin. [Images: NASA's Historic Apollo 11 Moon Landing in Pictures ] While on the surface, the astronauts set up several experiments, collected samples of lunar soil and rock to bring home, erected a United States flag, and took core samples from the crust.

They spoke with U.S. President Richard Nixon, whose voice was transmitted from the White House, and placed a plaque that stated: HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON JULY 1969, A.D. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND Memorial medallions with the names of the three astronauts who perished in the Apollo 1 fire and two cosmonauts who were also deceased, including the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin , remained after the astronauts left, as did a one-and-a-half-inch silicon disk with goodwill messages from 73 countries, and as the names of congressional and NASA leaders. Armstrong spent a little over two and a half hours outside of the Eagle. The astronauts traveled a total distance of about 3,300 feet (1 kilometer) as they walked around, traveling as far as 200 feet (60 meters) from the module to visit a large crater. They collected 47.51 pounds (21.55 kilograms) of samples from the moon, and reported that mobility on the moon was easier than anticipated.

Apollo 11 astronauts, still in their quarantine van, are greeted by their wives upon arrival at Ellington Air Force Base on July 27, 1969. Credit: NASA At 1:54 p.m. EDT, having spent a total of 21 and a half hours on the moon , the lunar module blasted back to where Collins sat in the Columbia. The two vehicles docked, and the crew and samples transferred to the Command Service Module before the Eagle was jettisoned into space. The astronauts headed back home. The team splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:50 p.m. EDT on July 24, only a few miles from the recovery ship, the U.S.S. Hornet. After donning biological isolation garments, the crew left the Columbia and climbed into a rubber boat, where they were rubbed down with iodine in an effort to stem potential contamination. They traveled by helicopter to a Mobile Quarantine Facility aboard the ship before being taken to Houston. They remained quarantine until Aug. 10, having completed the national goal set by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, to perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth.

This is part of a SPACE.com series of articles on the Greatest Moments in Flight, the breakthrough events that paved the way for human spaceflight and its next steps: asteroid mining and bases on the moon and Mars. Related:

Question: July 20, 1969 saw the landing of what NASA mission, the first to land men on the moon?
Answer: Apollo 11